Sunday, March 25, 2012

Another Jill Stuart limited edition blush to add to my ever growing blush collection~ And this time around I have the generous Ms Vicky to thank! I'm so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful friends ♥

The Blush Blossom range has been released for quite a while, so I won't bore you by launching into a long or even short speech about the packaging since others have done a better job.

The blush is divided into two sides, a sheer cool toned baby pink shimmer tint on the left and it is paired with a medium pigmented rosy shade with coral hints blush glow on the right. It is recommended to apply the blush glow first and then the shimmer tint for a glowy finish.

They are finely milled, smooth and have a gorgeous satin sheen. I absolutely adore pink blushes so I was relieved when I saw that they gave me a flattering rosy flush once applied on my cheeks.

I was really pleased at how soft the brush felt compared to the brush from the Mix Blush Compact. It is too dense for my tastes though, so I will be utilizing my own blush brush.

05 Poetic Daisy is no longer sold at the counters but Jill Stuart is always coming out with new and repetitive colours; you might see this combination soon haha.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Naruko is the brainchild of skincare guru 牛爾老師, a frequent guest on the Taiwanese beauty talk show 女人我最大. I am crazy over Naruko and with good reason. Their products are inexpensive and they work very well.

The cleanser has a soft moldable almost creamy clay texture and even with the ingrained scrubby beads it is extremely gentle on my skin.

Upon application, it gives a cooling minty sensation and smells absolutely refreshing. I am rather used to the scent of tea tree in my skincare so I am immune to it but it might not be your cup of tea.

My face feels clean and fresh after using it and it does not strip moisture from my skin whatsoever. It is multi-purpose, besides its main function as a cleanser, it can act as an exfoliant and a weekly clay mask.

I tend to break out less after using this cleanser and I have already repurchased a second tube. It has cemented itself as one of my favourite cleansers ever!

As with the cleanser, this serum also contains peppermint essential oil which is cooling and this helps to calm the skin somewhat. However, that is the only thing it does. This serum does not check off the other claims in the description - it does not do a thing to curb breakouts, lighten pigmentation or refine pores.

I guess I was expecting too much after watching YouTube gurus rave about this serum...

It has a silky smooth consistency as with most silicone loaded serums. The high concentration of Vitamin C in Step ① (12%) makes my skin tingle whenever I apply it.

Step ② Vitamin C Serum Enhancer

Step ② has a fluid texture. It needs a little bit of patting before it absorbs completely.

Steps ① and ② come in toothpaste squeeze tubes. This design keeps out sunlight as well as prevents oxidation and contamination. They both smell like chewable Vitamin C supplements that I used to eat as a child.

The two tubes used in conjunction gave me wonderful results. I wake up with super firm skin and I noticed this even from my first usage. I did not notice much effects clarity wise nor does it brighten my skin. I only use these serums during the night time, which is why they lasted quite some time.

I will repurchase once I am done with the other serums in my stash. They are the perfect anti-ageing tool!

The full ingredient list for Step ① C12 Ultimate Line Reducer:

The full ingredient list for Step ② Vitamin C Serum Enhancer:

If you are interested in purchasing Naruko, you can get it from naruko.my or Watsons.

How to use:
Apply the volumizing black mascara first, and then finish with the lengthening fiber black mascara. (Source: lashem.com/)

The wands come out from the tube without much product on them. There were not any messy gobs on the wands except on the tip of the lengthening wand. I was pleased yet concerned that the formulas would be too dry but this is not the case at all. There was sufficient product on the wands for a smooth and fuss free application.

Both formulas do not clump whatsoever even after a few layers. I am also very chuffed to report that they don't make the lashes feel stiff or crunchy after they dry. My one and only caveat: they don't hold a curl well even after some gentle curling after applying mascara.

I am going to address the wands and effects separately.
1) Volumizing
Comes with a flexible wand. It does not really provide much volumization but it does lengthen my lashes.

2) Lengthening
The stubby wand was not the best for coating my sparse lashes, I had to be really careful against smudging. It did not do much lengthening or volumizing. I can skip this side if I want since it does not make much of a difference in my lashes.

Although I like the volumizing side, this mascara is not really for my puny stick straight lashes. I prefer mascaras that give me the effect mentioned in the promises section (right at the top). However, I do think it would be good for those who are already blessed with long lush lashes because it adds more definition.